Objectives: To investigate the interrelationship between sleep complaints and hypnotics in relation to general health and somatic diseases.
Design: An epidemiological survey conducted by means of a questionnaire.
Setting: The counties of Västerbotten and Norrbotten in northern Sweden.
Subjects: All 10,216 members of the Swedish Pensioners' Association.
Main outcome measures: Sleep disturbances, health, somatic diseases and hypnotic medication.
Results: General ill health, cardiovascular diseases, different painful diseases and increased nocturnal voiding frequency were all associated with poor sleep and increased treatment with hypnotics. Hypnotics were used by 13.5% of the men and 22.3% of the women. Of the men aged < 70 years, 7.9% were receiving such treatment, of those aged 70-80 years 14.4% were using hypnotics, and of those aged > or = 80 years 21.8% were taking hypnotics (P < 0.0001). The corresponding frequencies among women were 15.0%, 23.0% and 34.9%, respectively (P < 0.0001). Half of all men and women treated with hypnotics in all age groups reported a good night's sleep. Among these both angina pectoris and cardiac arrhythmia were twice as common as among elderly subjects who experienced poor sleep and were receiving treatment with hypnotics.
Conclusions: Poor health and different somatic diseases are over-represented in elderly persons treated with hypnotics.